New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has received a boost ahead of the start of pre-season training after midfielder Wataru Endo was left out of Japan's squad for the Olympics.
The national team wanted to include the 31-year-old as one of their three over-age players in a predominantly under-23 squad for the Paris Games, which start later this month.
However, head coach Go Oiwa told a press conference in Tokyo the "restrictions" the Japanese FA had to work under in relation to European players - as the Olympics does not fall in FIFA -designated window - had influenced their selection with no over-age players selected.
Liverpool return to training on Friday, when Slot will host his first press conference since being named Jurgen Klopp's successor.
The players returning will be a mixture of senior and fringe players, due to Euro 2024 and Copa America involvement, but among those expected are Mohamed Salah - whom Egypt wanted for the Olympics but are increasingly resigned to being disappointed - Endo and Curtis Jones, who was cut from England's extended squad before they travelled to Germany.
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